Offenders apologise for terrorising east community
The ex-offenders and parolees apologised for committing crimes and terrorising the community.
Ex-offenders and parolees have apologised to the Mamelodi community for terrorising them.
They apologised for dealing and doing drugs, and for committing crime in the community.
This came after they visited the Thandanani Drug and Substance abuse centre and Children Feeding Scheme Centre on Sunday.
They were accompanied by the Baviaanspoort Correction Service under the community corrections unit.
Nicolas Seakamela from Baviaanspoort Correctional Service said Community Correction unit helps ex-offenders and parolees with rehabilitation and gives them skills to use after release.
“The aim of the community correction unit is to help them and make sure that the ex-offenders don’t repeat the same mistake or get arrested again.”
The offenders and parolees apologised to the community for all the wrongs they had done in the community.
They apologised for committing crime as well as terrorising the community.
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Ex-offender and now motivational speaker, Dineo Kgotsi said she spent almost half of her life in prison.
She encouraged especially women to stay away from crime and drugs because they will end up in prison.
“Life in prison is not an easy life – most of the youth think it is.”
She said it was tough in prison and the school children don’t want to find themselves arrested, because of the things that are happening in prison.
Kgotsi said she was arrested for shoplifting and for that she paid dearly by spending most of her life in prison away from her family.
“There is a lot of gangsterism in prison and offenders end up committing more crime while inside which adds to their sentences,” said Kgotsi.
She said she once dreamt of becoming a better person but the crime took that away from her.
Kgotsi advised the public, especially the youth, to always listen to their parents and do something to better themselves.
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To atone for her transgressions, Kgotsi works closely with the community and schools encouraging learners to follow their dreams and stay away from crime and drugs.
Kgotsi said once you start taking drugs it will lead you to commit a crime and eventually end up in prison.
He advised school children to wake up and choose friends wisely and be obedient to their parents and most importantly participate in different sports activities.
Some of the ex-offenders said they will make sure that they better their lives with the skills that they acquired while in prison.
Thandani Drop Inn Centre welcomed the apology and thanked the ex-offenders for setting a good example for the community.
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